Anchor text: what it is, how to write it, and why it is important for links
Although on the surface it may seem like an SEO topic for beginners, the anchor text is a crucial element for web architecture and for a site’s visibility. Indeed, anchor text is a crucial, and often overlooked, part of both external and internal link optimization strategy and helps determine the relevance and authority of a web page in the eyes of search engines. Understanding what anchor text is and how to use it effectively can in fact make the difference between a well-ranked site and one that struggles to stand out in search results.
What an anchor text is
The anchor text is the visible, clickable text of a link.
More specifically, is the word or group of words that lead with a click to a link to another online resource, and is useful for providing information about the link to users and search engines.
Usually, this text appears in blue and underlined, but it can be styled differently using CSS to fit the design of the website.
Anchor text: definition and meaning
The term anchor text comes from the idea of “anchoring” a hyperlink to a specific text within a document. In other words, this text acts precisely as an “anchor” that connects the visible text to another web resource, such as a page, document, or specific section of a page.
This nautical metaphor is appropriate because, just as an anchor holds a ship steady at a specific point, anchor text holds the link steady at a specific point in the textual content. When a user clicks on the anchor text, he or she is “transported” to the destination specified by the associated URL.
Anchor Link: what it is and why it is different from the anchor text
However, we need to open a technical parenthesis to define anchor text and anchor link and to learn to distinguish between two related but not identical concepts.
As mentioned, anchor text is what users see and can click on to be redirected to another web page. For example, in a link like this – <a href=“https://www.example.com”>best SEO practices</a> – “best SEO practices” is the anchor text.
Anchor link, on the other hand, refers to the entire hyperlink, which includes both the anchor text and the target URL. Using the same example as before, the entire <a href=“https://www.example.com”>best SEO practices</a> tag is the anchor link. The anchor link is what allows users to navigate from one page to another and search engines to discover and index new pages.
In this sense, therefore, the anchor text is a part of the anchor link.
Technically speaking, an anchor link is created using the <a> tag in HTML, with the href attribute specifying the destination URL. For example, the code <a href=“https://www.example.com”>best SEO practices</a> creates a link with the anchor text “best SEO practices” pointing to the page “https://www.example.com.” It is important that the anchor text be descriptive and relevant to the content of the landing page, as this helps both users and search engines better understand the context of the link.
What anchor text is useful for
The main function of anchor text is to provide users and search engines with an indication of the content of the landing page. For example, if the anchor text is “SEO best practices,” the link is expected to lead to a page that discusses effective SEO strategies.
Anchor text, we said, is useful in preparing users and search engines to click on the link and, therefore, to the content found on the new page. Thus, the first and main function of anchor text is to provide an added and understandable context to the link, which can simplify the interpretation of the linked page.
However, the significance of anchor text goes beyond simple navigation. For search engines such as Google, in fact, anchor text is an important signal in determining the relevance and authority of a web page. When an authoritative site uses specific anchor text to link to a page, this can positively influence the page’s ranking in search results for that keyword. However, as we will see, there are some “rules” to follow to use anchor text strategically and naturally to avoid over-optimization penalties.
How to create an anchor text
Making an anchor text is extremely simple and, in practice, all editors allow you to easily insert a link to a text portion using icons (the classic one with the chain link, found on WordPress, but also on Word and so on).
From an IT point of view, in the HTML code the anchor text simply appears with the string <a href=“https://www.example.com”> Proof Text </a>, where the words “Proof Text” will typically appear written in a different color or highlighted with underlining, depending on the site settings.
Anchor Text HTML: how to insert it correctly on the site
Proper implementation of anchor text in HTML is critical to ensuring that links are effective for both users and search engines. The process is relatively simple, but it requires attention to detail to avoid common mistakes that could compromise your site’s SEO.
To create anchor text in HTML we use as mentioned the <a> HTML tag with the href attribute specifying the target URL. For example, the code <a href=“https://www.example.com”>best SEO practices</a> creates a link with the anchor text “best SEO practices” pointing to the page “https://www.example.com”.
Another crucial aspect is the use of the title and rel attributes. The title attribute can provide additional information about the link, improving accessibility and user experience. For example, <a href=“https://www.example.com” title=“Discover SEO best practices”>Best SEO practices</a>. The rel attribute is useful for specifying the relationship between the current page and the target page. For example, the rel=“nofollow” attribute tells search engines not to follow the link, which is useful in situations where you do not want to transfer authority to the target page.
It is also essential to ensure that links are easily found and clicked on. Using a consistent visual style, such as blue color and underlined text, helps users immediately recognize links. In addition, ensuring that links are accessible on all devices, including mobile devices, is critical for an optimal user experience.
Types of Anchor Text: common types and examples
Anchor text can come in different forms, each with a specific impact on SEO and user experience.
It is important to have an idea about the various types of anchor text we can use, both for internal links and for backlinks, because this awareness will allow for variation in the use of anchor text and make the most of its potential. In summary, we have generic anchor texts, branded, exact match (optimized), with visible url or on the image, and now we will see together their main characteristics.
- Anchor Text Exact Match. This type of anchor text uses exactly the keyword for which you want to position the target page. For example, if the target keyword is “SEO strategies,” the anchor text will be exactly “SEO strategies.” This type of anchor text can be very powerful, but should be used with caution to avoid over-optimization penalties.
- Partial Anchor Text. Here, the anchor text includes the target keyword along with other words. For example, “best SEO strategies for 2023.” This approach is more natural and less risky than using exact anchor text exclusively.
- Branded Anchor Text. Use the brand or site name as anchor text. For example, “SEOZoom.” This type of anchor text is useful for building brand authority and more intuitive navigation.
- Generic Anchor Text. Phrases such as “click here,” “read more,” or “learn more” fall into this category. Although they are common, they do not offer useful clues to search engines about the content of the landing page and should be used sparingly.
- Naked URL. In this case, the URL of the landing page is used as anchor text, such as “https://www.example.com”. This type of anchor text is less common but can be useful in specific contexts.
Each type of anchor text has its place in a well-balanced SEO strategy. The important thing is to use them in a natural and relevant way, avoiding overuse of any single type.
Analysis of anchor text types
The naked anchor text is the one that directly shows the URL of the link, including www or sometimes even the HTTPS protocol; this is a choice that can sometimes be made on blogs to refer directly to a specific page, but that is not optimal in terms of usability, as we said before.
The most used and abused technique in SEO is that of the exact match, that is, the exact match between anchor texts and the main keyword of the article, but there are also the partial match anchor text (when you use the keywords in a partial way) and the long tail anchors, that we may know better. A useful solution for varying anchor text is to also use synonyms and terms semantically related to the keyword of interest, focusing on the so-called LSI anchors (where LSI stands for Latent Semantic Indexing).
It is easy to describe branded anchors, which are those that contain the name of the domain, brand, site or blog: you can find both as a reference to the URL (www.seozoom.it or SEOZoom.it, for example), and referring only to the name (SEOZoom) with which that entity is known on the Web.
Call to actions, too, can become anchor texts, when the text serves to invite the user to perform an action on the site: in addition to the purely textual part, in these cases we try to encourage action and audience involvement with buttons, specific images and animations, which can make the message more visible and attractive.
Diversified anchor text: the importance of variety
Diversifying anchor text is an essential practice for maintaining a natural backlink profile and avoiding search engine penalties. Using a variety of anchor text helps create a more authentic and credible link profile, reducing the risk of being perceived as manipulative or spammy.
When we talk about diversification, we mean the balanced use of exact, partial, branded, generic, and bare URL anchor text. This variety not only makes the backlink profile more natural, but also helps cover a wider range of related keywords and phrases, improving the overall visibility of the site in search results.
A diverse anchor text profile reflects more organic link acquisition behavior. For example, it is unlikely that all links to a page will use exactly the same keyword as anchor text. Instead, a mix of anchor text that includes the brand name, related phrases, and partial keywords is more realistic and less suspect in the eyes of search engines.
In addition, diversifying anchor text can improve the user experience. Varied and descriptive anchor text helps users better understand the content of the landing page, making navigation more intuitive and satisfying. This can result in increased engagement and reduced bounce rate, both of which are good for SEO.
In summary, anchor text diversification is a key strategy for anyone who wants to build a robust and sustainable backlink profile. Not only does it help avoid penalties, but it also helps improve the website’s visibility and authority in search results.
Anchor text and SEO: why they matter
Coming to issues more purely related to SEO and page optimization, anchor text plays a (still) significant role in search engine ranking, because Google uses precisely anchor text to evaluate the context of the linked page, as mentioned.
Giving an example: if I insert a link to a page using the words “dog cookies,” the search engine will assume that the target page addresses that topic; if another site also uses the same anchor text for another link, Google will reinforce its assumption and increase the chances for the linked site to rank high for that keyword.
Simplifying, then, we can say that using anchor text correctly can improve a website’s ranking in search results.
There is an inaccuracy that often occurs in anchor text management, and it mainly affects internal site links: the absence of anchor text or, rather, the lack of care towards this element. In this case, it is mainly the usability of the site and the link that is penalized, because users do not immediately understand the usefulness of the linked reference resource, and at the same time a potential ranking boost can be lost.
Best practices for SEO friendly anchor text
There are some best practices to follow to optimize anchor text and, more importantly, to avoid running into SEO mistakes that can undermine site visibility and provide completely opposite outcomes than desired. These are broad guidelines to help us craft anchor text in a way that improves site visibility in search results and provides a smoother and more intuitive user experience.
- Relevance and consistency. Anchor text should be closely related to the content of the landing page. Using relevant keywords helps search engines better understand the context of the link and assess its relevance.
- Variety and diversification. As mentioned earlier, it is critical to diversify anchor text to avoid over-optimization penalties. A mix of exact, partial, branded, and generic anchor text makes the backlink profile more natural and credible.
- Appropriate length. It would be preferable to avoid anchor text that is too long or too short. Effective anchor text should be concise but descriptive, providing a clear indication of the content of the landing page.
- Strategic placement. Anchor text should be placed at strategic points in the content, such as at the beginning of a paragraph or in a key sentence. This not only improves readability but also increases the likelihood that the link will be clicked.
- Avoid generic anchor text. Phrases such as “click here” or “read more” do not provide useful information to search engines and should be used sparingly. Better to opt instead for descriptive anchor text that reflects the content of the landing page.
- Checking for broken links. It is important that all links are working and point to active pages: broken links not only harm the user experience, but can also have a negative impact on SEO.
Anchor texts in link building
The reference to backlinks is not causal, because anchor text is used a lot especially in link building campaigns, because it is believed that Google pays particular attention to these portions of text in ranking ratings.
However, a non-strategic approach to this activity can cause damage to the site, rather than advantages, because there are frequent cases of too optimized anchor texts, or disconnected from the on-page context of the destination, and so on.
We know that backlinks are still one of the most influential factors in search engine rankings, and we also know that not all backlinks are equal. The quality of the backlinks and the anchor text used play a crucial role in determining the authority and relevance of the site.
The anchor text used in backlinks must therefore be natural and relevant. As we said, a backlink profile that uses only exact anchor text can appear manipulative and lead to penalties. It is therefore essential that backlinks include a variety of anchor text, including partial keywords, branded and related phrases.
How to write an SEO anchor text
To write an effective anchor text you have to think on two levels: user experience and SEO optimization.
The anchor texts, that is, must be twice useful, both to users and to the site itself for ranking on search engines, and to achieve the goal you have to choose simple, descriptive and understandable keywords for readers, but at the same time make sense for Google and its algorithms
In order to satisfy people, as mentioned, we must try not to use the links in an inaccurate way, use meaningless words or unaccounted for actions and content of the target resource. For the SEO, however, it is important to be able to link the anchor text with the user’s query and with the content of the document, always paying attention to the excesses of optimization, especially when talking about backlinks.
A useful strategy might be to use anchor text to facilitate link clicking. That is, with the aim of always providing a useful service to the user and facilitating link clicking, descriptive anchor texts can be used for both internal and outbound links. Simply choose text expressions that anticipate and describe the content of the landing page. Conceptually similar are in-depth anchor texts, where, however, the title of the article itself is used as the anchor, as in the case of in-depth links in an article or web page to other resources.
Mistakes to avoid
Despite the apparent simplicity of anchor text insertion, there are several common mistakes that can undermine the effectiveness of links or even damage a site’s SEO.
One of the most common and trivial mistakes is the overuse of generic anchor text, such as “click here” or “read more.” These types of anchor texts do not provide useful information to search engines and do not help users understand the content of the landing page. It is therefore much more effective to use descriptive and relevant anchor text that reflects the content of the landing page.
Frequent and already more damaging is over-optimization of anchor text: using only exact keywords as anchor text might seem like a good strategy, but it can actually be a negative signal to Google, which may ignore the link or penalize the site with such an unbalanced profile. As mentioned above, it would be important to diversify the anchor text by using a combination of exact, partial, branded and generic keywords to maintain a natural backlink profile.
Another mistake to avoid is the use of irrelevant anchor text: using misleading anchor text can confuse users and reduce the credibility of your site, as well as negatively affect your search engine rankings.
Anchor text and SEOZoom: the tools for perfect management
In our support, to avoid these mistakes and manage site anchor text more easily, come the tools of SEOZoom. The software, in fact, offers a complete set of advanced features for the optimal management of the site’s anchor text, both from the perspective of internal links and backlinks, making each link strategic and targeted.
The centerpiece of this system is the Backlinks section. Here we find, for example, the “Referring Anchors” tool, which allows us to monitor in detail the anchors used to link to our site. This tool provides a complete overview of referring pages with a dofollow attribute, the total referring pages and the number of referring domains. We can deepen the analysis by clicking on specific domains or by using the hamburger menu to access Keyword Actions, and we also have the option of exporting the data for further processing with tools such as Excel.
The “Outbound Links” function focuses on the anchor text we used to link to other sites. The associated table shows the list of the most frequent anchors, with indications of domains linked with follow attribute, the total number of referring domains and pages linked. In addition, we can explore the detail of the pages to which our links point, with information about the source URL, destination URL, location, status, attribute type, and anchor text used.
The “Competitor Anchor Texts” tool allows us to study in detail the anchor text used by third-party sites to link to our competitors’ pages. This gives us valuable information to refine our link building strategy, identifying effective practices adopted by competitors and adapting them to our own context.
Lastly, “Anchor Strategy” is the reference section for making our links more profitable: this is an automated tool that suggests a series of anchor texts useful for our link building or link earning strategy, based on keywords with high search potential. This tool is divided into two sections: anchors for the first page and anchors for the second page. The first section shows two tables with information about keywords already ranked on the first page on Google, suggesting URLs to link to and specific anchor text to strengthen rankings. The second section provides similar data for keywords currently positioned on the second page, indicating the potential for traffic improvement and estimated future traffic volume with improved positioning.
With these tools, we can optimize every aspect of our anchor text, improving our site’s visibility and authority in search results. SEOZoom gives us a comprehensive and detailed view, allowing us to make informed and strategic decisions to maximize the effectiveness of our links and improve our online presence.
